Collapsible multiple purpose furniture



April 13, 1954 E. P. LA KAFF 2,674,746

COLLAPSIBLE MULTIPLE PURPOSE FURNITURE Filed Nov. 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fHZ EH far E. P. LA KAFF 2,674,746 COLLAPSIBLE MULTIPLE PURPOSE FURNITURE Filed N07. 15, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eg 12b 15 14 1011 Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE MULTIPLE PURPOSE FURNITURE Edward P. La Kaff, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 15, 1950, Serial No. 195,820

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to collapsible furniture having a plurality of functions.

Specifically this invention relates to a combination foldable cot, stretcher, and litter.

The invention will be hereinafter specifically described as embodied in a collapsible cot having swinging legs adapted to serve as handles to convert the cot into a stretcher or to permit the cot to rest flat on the ground. It should be understood, however, that the principles of this invention are generally applicable to collapsible furniture and the invention is therefore not to be limited to the herein disclosed preferred embodiment.

According to this invention, a pair of pivoted together metal tubes, of generally U shape, have end portions each rotatably carrying a generally L-shaped tube with one leg of the L extending therein and the other leg forming a cot supporting leg or a stretcher handle. legs of the tube are joined through a rounded knee on which the frame tubes rest when the device is opened up in cot form. The pair of metal tubes forming the main frame each have an elongated side leg between the pivoted together end legs thereof and these elongated side legs receive therearound tubular sheeting material such as a canvas band to form the bed portion of the cot or stretcher. The pivoted together pair of metal tubes have their side legs in staggered relation so that the side leg of one tube lies outside the adjacent side leg of the other tube at one end of the cot and inside the adjacent leg of the other tube at the other end of the cot.

The L-shaped tubes which are rotatably mounted in the ends of the main frame pieces are equipped with retaining means which will maintain them in desired upright cot supporting position, outturned stretcher handle form- 1 swivelly mounted legs in the ends thereof which are positioned to form stretcher handles or cot supporting legs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible cot with swivelly mounted legs having knee portions supporting the cot.

The two Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible cot with swingable legs having pin and socket connection with the cot frame and equipped with knee portions receiving the load of the cot and effective to wedge the pin and slot connections together under the loaded cot.

Other and further objects of the invention Will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets which, by way of a preferred example only, illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device of this invention opened up for use as a cot and having part of the supporting surface thereof broken away to show underlying frame structure.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the cot of Figure 1 also having parts broken away to show underlying frame structure.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the legs of the cot swung outwardly to provide stretcher handles.

Figure 4 is an end view of the cot of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a broken plan view of the cot in collapsed position for vertical stacking.

Figure 6 is an end view of the collapsed cot shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII--VII of Figure 5 but illustrating the legs swung inwardly for stacking purposes.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a transverse cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the line IX-IX of Figure 8.

As shown on the drawings:

As shown in Figure l, the cot ill of this invention is composed of two generally U-shaped tubular metal frames I l and I2, a tubular or endless band l3 of canvas or the like, pivot studs 14, M connecting the frames H and I2, and four separate legs I 5 swivelly mounted in the ends of the frames II and 12.

As best shown in Figure 2, the frame I I has an elongated side leg Ila and end legs llb, Hb extending at right angles from the ends of the side leg. The frame l2 has an identical side leg Mia and end legs [2b, 12b. The side legs i la and [2a receive the band 13 .therearound and this band terminates in closely spaced relation to the end legs.

One end leg lib of the frame ll lies inside of 3 the adjacent leg I2b of the frame I2 at one end of the cot While at the other end of the cot the leg I It lies outside of the adjacent leg I219. The frame pieces II and I2 are thus in staggered relation.

As best shown in the end view of Figure 4, the end legs IIb and I2?) are kinked or ofiset adjacent the pivot stud I4 so that the side leg IIa may rest on the supporting leg I5 carried by the frame I2 and so that the side leg I2a may rest on the supporting leg I5 carried by the fram I I.

As best shown in Figure 2, each end le of each frame has an inwardly extending portion. Thus the legs IIb have inwardly extending portions IIc, while the legs IZb have inwardly extending portions I20. These portions H and I20 lie in the same plane as the legs from which they extend and have collars I6 secured on their ends. These collars, as best shown in Figures 8 and 9, have vertical notches Mia and horizontal notches IBb in their end faces, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The cot supporting legs I are generally L-shaped, having legs l5a slidably and rotatably receivable in the end portions H0 and I20 of the frame pieces. These legs a extend outwardly from the frame pieces to rounded knee portions I513. The knees I51) merge into leg portions I50 in obtuse angular relation with the legs As shown in Figure 8, the leg portions I5a have an open ended tube II extendin therethrough in spaced relation from the knee I5b. A spring I8 is anchored at one end on this tube IT. The other end of the spring is anchored on a pin I9 secured in the end portion H0 or I receiving the leg. A pin 20 is mounted in the tube I! and projects beyond both ends of the tube through notches 2I in the end I2c or IIO of the frame piece aligned with the notches IBa and I6?) of the collar. The pin 20 has heads 22 on the ends thereof seatable in these notches. The tube and pin arrangement makes possible easy mounting of the legs I5 in the frame pieces, since the spring I8 can be mounted on the tube I1, the leg piece can be inserted into the frame I I c or I20 to align the other end of the s ring with holes in the frame and pin I9 can then be dropped through these holes and through the end of the spring. The leg I5 can next be pulled outwardly from the frame piece to stretch the spring I8 until the ends of the tube I! are exposed beyond the frame piece whereupon the pin 20 can be passed through the tube, the heads 22 aflixed thereon, and the assembly released to allow the spring It to seat the pin heads against the collar I6 in either the notches I6a or IGb thereof.

When the unit I 0 is to be used as a cot as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the legs I5 are rotated so that the heads 22 of the pin 20 are seated in the vertical notches IBa of the collars I6. In this position, the knees I5b of the legs will be under the adjacent side legs Ila or [211 of the frame and the leg portions I will extend downwardly to hold the sheet material I3 above ground level. As shown in Figure 4, in this position the knees I 50 are loaded by the legs Na and I2a of the frame and tend to force the leg portions I5a into the end portions of the frames He or I20 where- .upon the heads 22 of the pins 20 will be wedged into the notches IBa.

When it is desired to use the cot II] as a stretcher or litter, the legs I5 are swung to the positions shown in Figure 3. In these positions of the legs, the heads 22 of the pins 20 are seated in the horizontal notches Ifib of the collars and do not show in the plan view of Figure 3. The leg portions I50 extend outwardly from the side legs Ila and In of the frame pieces to provide easily accessible handles. The spring I8 will be effective to hold the heads of the pins in the horizontal notches so that the handle portions I50 cannot swing.

In order to move the legs I5 from cot supportin position to stretcher handle position, or to an inwardly collapsed position as shown in Figure '7, it is only necessary to pull the legs slightly outwardly from their supporting frames against the load of the springs I8 to detach the pin heads 22 from the notches in which they are seated and to then rotate the legs to the desired position permitting the spring to snap the pin heads into the notches for holding the legs in the new position.

As shown in Figures 5 and 8, the cot II] can be easily folded into a collapsed condition and stacked upright on the legs I5 by merely swinging the frame pieces I I and If! so that their side legs lid and IZa are brought together as shown. In this collapsed position, the looped band I3 hangs loosely from the side legs and can be easily removed over the end legs if it is desired to replace the band. As illustrated in Figure 6, the legs I5 will hold the cot in a collapsed position for stacking purposes.

As shown in Figure 7, if it is desired to pack the collapsed cot in a very small space, the legs I5 can be swung to the position shown inwardly from the end legs which carry them.

From the above descriptions it will therefore be understood that this invention now provides 001- lapsible furniture having a plurality of functions. The preferred embodiment of the invention deals with a collapsible cot that has swivelly mounted legs for supporting the cot from the ground or for forming handles so that the cot may be used as a field stretcher.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eifected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A combination cot and stretcher comprising a frame having side portions, pivoted together end legs on said side portions, and inwardly directed portion on the ends of the end legs, L- shaped leg members swivelly mounted in said inwardly directed portions and having knees adapted to engage the side portions, and means for selectively locking said leg members in cot leg positions and in stretcher handle positions.

2. A collapsible combination cot and stretcher which comprises a pair of tubular metal U- shaped frames each having a bight portion with end legs extending in the same direction at right angles to said bight portion and inwardly directed end portions on the end legs, said frames being connected together and operable to an opened up position with said bight portions in generally parallel spaced relation together defining a support, an angle member mounted on each inwardly directed portion and having one leg thereof telescoped in said portion with the other leg thereof extending at an angle therefrom and joined with the first mentioned leg through a rounded knee, said knee being positioned to extend under one of said bight portions of the frame when the cot is in said opened up position whereupon said bight portions will exert an inwardly directed force on the other legs and said other legs being adapted to be swung from cot leg defining positions to outwardly extending handle positions beyond said bight portions of the frame.

3. A furniture article comprising: a pair of tubular generally U-shaped frames having generally parallel bight portions together defining a support and having end leg portions pivotally connected for relative pivotal movement of said frames about an axis generally parallel to and equally spaced from said bight portions, and L- shaped members each havin one leg telescoping with and swivelly secured to the extremity of one of said tubular end leg portions, and means for selectively locking said one leg of each L- shaped member in selected non-swivelling positions relative to the associated end leg portion of said frames to position the other leg of each L- shaped member downwardly, outwardly, or in- Wardly relative to said frames, said one leg of each L-shaped member being disposed in the path of the bight portion of the other frame to provide support therefor.

4. A collapsible article of furniture which comprises a pair of generally U-shaped frames each having an elongated bight portion and end leg portions fixed generally at right angles thereto, the frames being disposed in straddled relation with one end leg of one frame outside and adjacent one end leg of the other frame, and with the other end leg of said one frame inside and adjacent the other end leg of said other frame, a pivot connecting said one end legs and a pivot connecting said other end legs for relative pivotal movement of said frames about said said one outside end leg of said one frame and a second inwardly directed end portion on said other outside end leg of said other frame, said one frame having a first portion connected to said first inwardly directed end portion engaging and supporting the bight portion of said other frame and a second portion connected to said first portion and extending angularly to said first portion providing a support leg, said other frame having a third portion connected to said second inwardly directed end portion engaging and supporting the bight portion of said one frame and a fourth portion connected to said third portion and extending angularly thereto to provide a support leg, and further portions connected respectively to said inside other leg portion of said one frame and said inside one leg portion of said other frame for providing additional support for said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 542,374 Sauerbier et a1. July 9, 1895 896,426 Wood Aug. 18, 1908 1,305,388 Luria June 3, 1919 2,407,085 Leather et a1. Sept. 3, 1946 2,449,767 Carpenter Sept. 21, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 366,171 Great Britain Feb. 4, 1932 

